A blog expanding on the subjects discussed in our movie "Science Sex and the Ladies." We blog critically on a specific intersection of science, sexuality, and feminism; particularly paying attention to how female sexual response is discussed, portrayed, and studied in our culture. So...if you're interested in science, sex, lady stuff, or indie movie making...this is the blog for you.

1.28.2015

Coitus as revealed by ultrasound in one volunteer couple - a Journal Article I Read

Well, I found better access to journal articles - thanks to my friend Stephanie, my cousin McKenzie, and my husband's sneaky internet ways. It's exciting because I do like to read more than the abstracts, and if you don't have good student-type access, they cost about $40 a pop, which is bullshit. Anyway, I chose a short one for my next installment in the Journal Article's I Read series. It's called "Coitus as revealed by ultrasound in one volunteer couple."

This article is interesting, I think, for this blog because it's one that is commonly used to support the argument about the deep inner parts of the clit being the real "G-spot." Well, maybe that's not the exact way to put it. There is an argument in the lady-gasm and sexology world right now that goes something like this: There is no difference between clitoral and vaginal orgasms. They are all clitoral. It's just that sometimes the clitoral glans is stimulated in order to cause the orgasm (what some might traditionally call a clitoral orgasm) and sometimes the clitoral legs/Crus Clitoris and/or the bulb of vestibule (aka clitoral bulbs) are stimulated to cause the orgasm (what some might traditionally call a vaginal orgasm).

I find the argument a bit troubling for 1 simple reason. There is no actual physiologic evidence for an orgasm caused by stimulation inside the vagina (i.e. "vaginal" orgasm). The only orgasms recorded were due to some direct or indirect stimulation of the clitoral glans. No one has ever proven that an orgasm can be elicited from stimulation inside the vagina, so giving a cause for this orgasm that might not even exist (whether it be through stimulation of the clitoral legs, the "g-spot" or any other thing in the vagina), seems a little problematic.

Anyway, the main cause for this even-vaginal-orgasms-are-clitoral argument are studies showing that during penetration, part of this inner clitoral structure gets close to the area of the vagina that has traditionally been thought to house the "g-spot." You see, when a woman gets aroused, she gets at least as much blood pooling in her genitals as men, only for ladies, it mostly fills in these inner clitoral structures. They are largely erectile tissue that become engorged during arousal.

This is a study meant simply to see what happens to the vagina and surrounding tissue and organs when a woman is aroused and having intercourse. It is quite simple actually. The couple (the study points out they are both medical doctors for some reason), is verified as having no medical issues, no sexual dysfunction, and the woman "was regularly capable of achieving a vaginally activated orgasm from penetration without concomitant stimulation of the external clitoris." She lay in a gynecological position (on a table with her legs in stirrups) in a doctors office. The man was standing, and he penetrated her.

An ultrasound was taken as she became aroused (the clitoral legs and bulbs became more engorged). From the ultrasound, the authors concluded:

The penis exerts pressure on the anterior vaginal wall resulting in pressure (and movement) of penis on the entire CUV* complex against the pubic symphisis. The clitoris was stretched by the penis. The roots of the clitoris were ascending and completely widened by the penis. During intercourse the anterior wall of the vagina was crushed against the root of the clitoris. The Kobelt plexis was well visualized and seemed to be repeatedly crushed by the penis like a pumping effect.

So, this study basically showed how the penis moves our lady junk around during intercourse, which is pretty interesting. It doesn't actually say anything about "vaginal" orgasm, though. Neither she nor the man in this study orgasmed. I do so very, very much wish they had though. If this women could actually have "vaginally activated orgasm from penetration without concomitant stimulation of the external clitoris," then by god, catching that on ultrasound would have truly been a big step forward in the study of female orgasm. Maybe next time, I guess.